Improvement in railway-frogs



C. L. COOKE. Railway Prog. No. 197,099.

Patented Nov. 13, 1877.

Maui @y CHARLES 'nl-COOKE, 0E EUEEALO, NEW YORK, AssIeNoE oEIQNE-HALE QPATEN'I nrs EIGHT To wiELIAM v. inslag-0E sAME PLAGE.

LMPRoVEMEN-TJN RAILWAY-moes.'

Speicationforming` part of Letters latentNof 197,099, dated November 13, 1877 application filed 1 `(pewter 22,1877.

To all whom itmaycoucem:

Be it known thatI, CHARLES` LEE COOKE,

and yState offV 1N ewl York,have invented fa new and useful Improvement in Railway-Frogs', ofl which the following lis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

In railway-frogs as ordinarily :constructedthe V-shaped' or triangular point has its upper surface arranged in linewith the upper surface of the rails,`so that the treadvv of theV Wheel passes directly from the rail to thetip of the -iianges of thewheelsare apt to strike the tip -of the point, instead of passing on the inner side thereof. Thisresults, when the displacement of the wheel isV slight, in a chipping of the tip of the'frog-point or of the wheel. When the displacementof the wheel is considerable, so that the ange of `the wheel strikes the tip of the frog-point on the outer or wrong side,

l the wheel is deflected; out of its straight course,

whereby the wheel is. broken or the carthrown from the track.' The`A treads ofthe wheels of these compromise ca rs are made wider than those of wheels constructed for one particular gage, whichresultsinthe wheels wearing fastest near the flange, leaving the outer portion of the tread larger in diameter than the portion adjacent to the flange on which thewheel usually runs. These wheels in crossing from one rail to another run on the, outer portion of the tread, and .wear-the rails, opposite-the tip-of the point, down below the level of the point, whereby the wheels are frequently caused to strike with the tread against the front edge of the tip, instead of running upon theupper surface thereof, which, owing to the hardness of the points, also results in a chipping of the Wheel.

The object of myinvention is to overcome,

. these difficulties by-a wheel-supporter, which .Bl Az Bz the inner intersecting rails.

is so constructed as to conveythe wheels safely i `from one rail to another. of the city of Buifalo, in the county of Erie The nature of my invention will be fully understood from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing,Figure lis a plan view of a railway-frog provided with my improvement. Figs. 2 and 3 are cross-sections, respectively, in lines w wland .fr a', Fig. 1.

l Figs. 4 and 5 are longitudinal sections, respectively, in lines y y and ze, Fig, l, and Fig. 6 is a plan view, showing a slightly modified manner i of securing the wheel-supporter in place.

LikeA letters of reference designate like parts in each of the figures.

A B represent the outer track-rails,'and A1 C represents the V-shaped or triangular wheel-supporter, forming a continuation of the rails A2 B3. A3 B3 are the outwardly-bent portions of the rails Al B1, bearing against the sides of thesupporter C. D Dare the guard-rails, arranged, in a common manner, on the inner sides of the outer rails A B, opposite the supporter C. The sides of the supporter C are formed so as to t snugly between the heads and bases of the diverging rails A3 B3, wherebythe supporting-block C is firmly held in place when the rails are spiked to the ties.

The front end of the block G is, preferably, secured by a spike, c, and, if desired, the rear 'end of the block may be secured in place by spikes f f, engaging over suitable ears formed with the block, as represented in Fig. 6.

The upper surface of the triangular wheelsupporter G is constructed in the following manner: The upper surface of the tip g of the supporter C is arranged at such a height below the level of the heads of the rails that the ilange of the wheel will run upon the tip, and be supported thereby, as soon as, or before, the tread of the wheel leaves the rail. The diverging side portions h h of the upper surface of the block adjacent to the diverging rails A3 B3 are made of the same height, or arranged 'in line with the tip g, and made of a width to accommodate the flange of an ordinary wheel. The portion fi, between the side portions h h', is made convex or arching, and

gradually rising from the tip g to the rear portionvk, which latter is mane level with the heads of the rails A2 B, oi which it forms a continuation. The side portions h h', adjacent to the rear porticnkof thebloek, are depressed,

so as not to support the flange of the Wheel where the tread of the latter is supported on the portion k.

In crossing from the rail A* to the rail A2 the Wheel runs with its ange upon the tip g of the supporter C as its tread leaves the rail A1. The wheel now runs with its ange over` the side portion h of the supporter C until the tread oi' the wheel is received by the rear portion k ofthe supporter, whence the wheel runs upon the rail A2. The guard-rail D keeps the other in an easy and safe manner without any danger of breakage or running oif the track.

The supporter C,constructed of chilled castiron or of hammered iron, as may be preferred, is produced at comparatively small expense, and readily secured in place or taken up when required to be repaired or replaced.

I claim as my invention- 1. The triangular wheelssupporter @having its tip g arranged at a height to support the dange of the wheels passing over it, the di verging side portions h h arranged in line With the tip g, rear portion i@ arranged in line with the heads of the rails, and convexeentral portion c', rising gradually from the tip g to the rear portion k, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the triangular wheel-supporter C, having its tip g, side portions h h', rear portion k, and ce n l-I portion i, constructed, as described, of the diverging rails A B3, intersecting rails A1 BPA! B2, outer rails A B, and guard-rails D D', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

C. L. COOKE.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WILHELM, WILLIAM V. Kisn. 

